Berlin’s 2020 Best Exhibitions

In 2020, a wide variety of new exhibitions will open in Berlin, providing visitors with new experiences and the opportunity to reexamine old ones.

The breadth of new exhibitions is staggering.  From the opening to the Humboldt Forum, a stunning new museum, to an intimate one-room exhibit commemorating Raphael, the exhibitions coming to Berlin offer plenty of diverse and informative options for anyone looking for a meaningful cultural experience within the city.

Opening of the Humboldt Forum - September 2020

Starting in September, the Humboldt Forum will begin opening to the public in phases. The forum, with its mix of Baroque and modern architecture, will be home to a wide variety of attractions, including cafes, art exhibits, and other activities. The collections within the Humboldt Forum will focus on non-European art in the hopes of complementing the other exhibits on Museum Island while encouraging global dialogue within art and culture. Visitors seem sure to find a captivating array of cultural objects and art items, all contained within a beautifully reconstructed Berlin Palace.

The Second Glance: Women of the Bode Museum - 27 November 2020    

Starting in September of 2019, the Bode Museum began a new exhibition series titled The Second Glance, which aimed to explore the artwork of the museum from a diverse range of socially-relevant perspectives. On November 27th, the the second installation of The Second Glace, titled Women of the Bode Museum, will focus on the ways women are portrayed throughout the museum’s various exhibits.By reexamining these works of art through a modern lense, this new exhibition aims to give greater attention to a perspective that has often been marginalized. Those looking to reexamine the familiar exhibits of the Bode Museum through a modern lense may want to visit this exhibition.

Monet: Places Exhibition - 22 Feb. - 1 June 2020 

In collaboration with the Denver Museum of Art, the Barberini Museum will open a temporary exhibit displaying 110 paintings by the famous impressionist painter Cllaude Monet starting on February 22nd. A wide range of Monet’s paintings will be represented here, with many coming from private collections often inaccessible to the public. This massive exhibition will allow visitors to take in the beauty of Monet’s works in context and better understand his development as an artist. The quantity of works on display here alone make this exhibition worth a visit. 

Raphael Exhibition - 13 Dec. 2019 - 26 April 2020

From December 13th to April 26th, five of Raphael’s Madonnas will be on display at the Gemäldegalerie. Though small, this temporary exhibit celebrates the 500 year anniversary of the death of the Italian renaissance painter Raphael with a collection of his earlier works. These paintings, which each depict the virgin Mary, are an illuminating window into Raphael’s early artistic development and definitely worth a look for anyone interested in the Italian Renaissance.

The Germanic Tribes: A Critical Look - September 2020 - March 2021

Starting in September, The James Simon Galerie will open an exhibit featuring artifacts and information regarding the Germanic tribes of the Rhine from the 2nd to the 4th Century BCE with a focus on comparing popular understanding of the period with leading historical research. This exhibit will provide a unique perspective on a piece of German history which is often misinterpreted and hopes to provide a more evidence-based picture of this historical period. The collection will include a mix of new archaeological finds within the field and older artifacts loaned by other museums and collections.